In my Noah’s Flood Bible study series, I covered nearly every aspect of the Flood. I believe the evidence explains, the Flood of Noah was not global, but confined to a local region where Noah lived.
However, let’s have a discussion to cover some additional thoughts and questions that may come up.
Let’s jump right into it.
Why Did Noah Build An Ark For A Local Flood?
God told Noah to build the Ark, Noah did not have a say in the matter. He simply followed the instructions that were provided to him, (Genesis 6:14-16).
As I covered in “Where Was Noah’s Flood?”, I discussed the potential destruction of hundreds of thousands of square miles that could have been flooded. This would have destroyed all plant and animal life in the region. As the Bible explains, the Flood destroyed all the animals that “moved upon” the land.
If Noah did not collect the animals as he was instructed, and free them into the region after the Flood, it would have taken untold years for the animals to migrate back to the region and become fruitful and numerous. More importantly, it would have violated God’s instructions.
Then we have the spiritual aspect to consider.
God wanted Noah to construct the Ark, just as God wanted to see if Abraham would sacrifice his only son for Him. All throughout Scripture we find God asking His people to perform various actions and tasks, not just for them to prove their obedience and love for God, but for us.
For example, so that we could be inspired by their actions and learn lessons, applying those lessons to our life, and the rest of the Bible and prophecy.
We could quite literally “why did” ourselves to death…
- Why did God allow Daniel to be placed in the lion’s den?
- Why did God allow the three to be thrown into the fiery furnace?
- Why did God have the Israelites march around Jericho for seven days before the wall fell?
- Why did God have Moses create the serpent staff in order to heal the Israelites in the wilderness?
- Why did God harden Pharoah’s heart, and send Ten Plagues on Egypt in order to let the Israelites go?
Each and every one of those accounts has one main purpose.
For the people to prove their faith, trust, and hope in God, but also for God to prove to the people that He is God, and to be an example for us today through such accounts, (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The same applies to Noah and the Flood. Moreover, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ explained to us, the end times will be just like the days of Noah, there is much to learn from this account, (Luke 17:26-27).
Why Was The Ark So Large For A Local Flood?
We tend to forget, Noah and the animals were on the ark for an entire year.
We also paint pictures in our mind of animals being housed in cages that were just big enough for the creature. We never factor in the room that is required for them to move around.
God is not cruel, He loves His animals, He certainly did not require them to be contained in tiny cages as we do in zoos and other public displays today.
Further, the Bible never mentions “cages,” but God did tell Noah to construct “rooms,” (Genesis 6:14). The pictures of cages in our minds were manufactured by other men, not the Bible.
We also forget Noah, his family, and the animals needed food and water for an entire year. Imagine how much food would have been required to feed larger animals alone, we are talking about a tremendous amount of food that cannot be packed in tight places or it would have perished due to mold, etc.
When we factor in the space required for the animals, Noah, his family, and their provisions. I think the size of the Ark was just about right.
Apparently, so did God.
Why Did God Say He Will Destroy All Flesh If The Flood Was Local?
When we apply the proper translation of “land,” for the Hebrew word “‘erets” which was translated as “earth,” the question answers itself. God was going to kill everyone in the “land.” Not everyone across the entire planet.
All flesh in the land was going to die due to the sin that had taken place in the region. This is why only those on the Ark were going to survive the Flood.
Turn your Bible with me to,
Genesis 7:21
And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man.
This is a classic example of when “all” does not mean “all.”
Noah was still alive, his family was still alive, and the animals on the Ark were still alive. God expects us to use some common sense to understand that.
One more example from the Bible, turn with me to,
Revelation 13:3
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Again, we have the word “all.”
Yet, we know the Saints from Revelation 7 are Sealed with the Word of God, and they are not going to worship Satan.
A different topic, but I wanted to bring it forward so we can understand we have these examples throughout the Bible, beginning to end. God expects us to follow the subject being discussed and keep track of it.
Why Does The Bible Say The Hills Under The Whole Heaven Were Covered?
The English word “heaven” comes from the Hebrew word “shâmayim” which means,
“…lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve): – air, X astrologer, heaven (-s).”
All we are talking about is “the sky” above your head.
When we encounter a storm, we look up, and all we can see are rain clouds. Even if you are standing on a mountain, all you can see are those clouds, and then your view washes out from the rain.
Does that mean the clouds covered the “whole heaven?”
Or, does that just mean the clouds covered the “whole sky” from your perspective?
We are wise enough to know the answer to that question. From Noah’s perspective, the rain covered the entire land where he was. All he could see was rain falling down, but a few hundred miles away, it was still a nice sunny day.
Didn’t God Create The Rainbow As A Promise To Never Flood The Earth Again?
The Bible never said God invented the rainbow in Genesis 9:12.
God simply told Noah, the rainbow would be a “token,” which means a “sign”. The rainbow was to be a reminder to last for all time, that God would never send a flood again.
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Why Do Floods Still Occur If God Promised Not To Flood The Ground Again?
What did God tell us in Genesis 8:21?
“I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake”.
“I”. God is saying, He will not curse the ground.
The floods we have today are caused by storms, and normal weather patterns, they are not caused by God to punish the people.
Therefore, God is not cursing the ground.
Do 2 Peter 2:5 And 3:6 Discuss The Same Account?
Always ensure you find the subject of Scripture so you can have a clear understanding of what is being discussed. By expanding your reading, you will note 2 Peter 2 discusses God protecting the Godly, while punishing the un-Godly, (2 Peter 2:9).
Turn your Bible with me to,
2 Peter 2:5
And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.
Notice, we have the word “world” used twice. “The old world” and “the world of the ungodly”.
Which “world” is it?
Was the literal and entire “old world” destroyed, or just the “world of the ungodly”?
There is a big difference.
“The world” is simply a reference to the region of land where Noah lived, that was Noah’s world, it was all he knew. It was destroyed along with the ungodly who lived there. If the entire earth was destroyed, Noah would have perished as well. Noah could not live in a “world” that did not exist.
Further, Genesis 6 never mentions the earth being destroyed, only the animals and wicked men.
The word “world” has many various meanings. Some of which are “in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively”.
I also want you to notice we have no mention of the heavens here.
Yet, we do in 2 Peter 3:5-7.
Why?
We are talking about two different subjects. 2 Peter 2:5 covers the world Noah knew about, the region of land where he and the un-Godly lived, (see: The Fallen Angels, Giants And Noah’s Flood).
As we turn to 2 Peter 3, the subject concerns what people in the Last Days will say.
2 Peter 3:4
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
Notice, we have just been given a timeframe here. We are talking about the beginning of creation (Genesis 1:1), which was millions or billions of years before Noah’s day.
2 Peter 3:5
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.
Not only is the earth of old, but so were the heavens. Noah’s Flood could never affect the heavens.
2 Peter 3:6
Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.
In 2 Peter 3:6, the entire world flooded which made it uninhabitable, this was not Noah’s Flood.
Genesis 1:2 should pop into your mind where the earth “was,” better translated “became” without form and void. Again, this most likely occurred millions or billions of years ago. We certainly know we are not discussing Noah’s Flood, or he would have perished as well.
2 Peter 3:7
But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
This verse brings it all together for us.
“The Heavens and the earth which are now.”
This clearly tells us, not only was the earth destroyed (became uninhabitable), but the heavens were destroyed (changed) in “the world that then was.” Noah’s Flood did not destroy or change the heavens, that would be impossible, and it is never mentioned in Scripture. We are also told the world was “kept in store,” which means not changed.
Further, we also know if Noah’s “world” was literally destroyed, he would have perished as well, and 2 Peter 3:5-7 concerns “the beginning of creation,” not the Days of Noah.
Just these few facts help us understand, we are discussing two separate events. One event far before the First Day of Genesis, (The World That Then Was, 2 Peter 3:4-7), and one event thousands of years after the Seventh Day of Genesis, (Noah’s Flood, 2 Peter 2:5).
Other Potential Flood Locations
location of Mount Ararat.
Aside from the Caspian Drainage Basin that we discussed in our Bible study, “Where Was Noah’s Flood?”. I did find an interesting location around Mount Ararat which is depicted by the red marker in the image.
Rough estimates from surveying the topography show that it is capable of holding a few thousand feet of water. It also has a flat plain on the valley floor, perfect for large populations.
The image to the right depicts a rough sketch of the basin. I simply add this for your own personal interest.
Mesopotamian Plain
The most commonly discussed location for Noah’s Flood is the Mesopotamian Plain. This is the general region between the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers. The problem I have with this location is the Mesopotamian Plain has no real basin, and drains directly into the Persian Gulf.
Remember, God only allowed the rain and fountains of the deep to be unleashed for “forty days and forty nights.” Yet, the Floodwaters continued to cover the landscape for 150 days. If the Mesopotamian Plain was the location, Noah’s Ark would have washed into the ocean shortly after God stopped the Flood. Therefore, this location does not seem plausible.
Jabel Judi
Others mention Jabel Judi, which cultures have called the location of the Flood for centuries.
I am sure there are many other locations as well. However, I believe the Caspian Drainage Basin not only fits the Biblical requirements, but it seems very logical as well.
Summary
Christians should not become tied down by this topic. Instead, we simply need to understand we have options when it comes to the location of Noah’s Flood.